vocabulary: fall #6

Adroit - adj. Clever or skillful in using your hands or mind
He was adroit at tax avoidance.
 Amicable - adj. Having a spirit of friendliness without serious disagreement or rancor
There will be an amicable statement of the dispute.
 Averse - adj. Having a strong dislike of or opposition to something
As a former CIA director, he is not adverse to secrecy.
 Belligerent - adj. Hostile and aggressive
A bull-necked, belligerent old man.
 Benevolent - adj. Well meaning and kindly
She had a benevolent smile that touched my heart.
 Cursory - adj. Hasty and therefore not thorough or detailed
A cursory glance at the figures.
 Duplicity - n. Deceitfulness; double-dealing
If intricate duplicity is what you like, read on.
 Extol - v. Praise enthusiastically
He extolled the virtues of the Russian people. 
 Feasible - adj. Possible to do easily or conveniently
 A road feasible for travel.
 Grimace - n. An ugly, twisted expression on a person's face, typically expression ing disgust, pain, or wry amusement
She gave a grimace of pain.
 Holocaust - n. Any mass slaughter or reckless destruction of life
The Holocaust was the mass slaughter of European Jews in Nazi concentration camps during World War II.
 Impervious - adj. Not permitting penetration or passage; impenetrable
The coat is impervious to rain.
 Impetus - n. A moving force; impulse; stimulus
 The grant for building the opera house gave impetus to the city's cultural life.
 Jeopardy - n. Hazard or risk of or exposure to loss, harm, death, or injury
For a moment his life was in jeopardy.
 Meticulous - adj. Taking or showing extreme care about minute details; precise; thorough
A meticulous craftsman; meticulous personal appearance.
 Nostalgia - n. A wistful desire to return in thought or in fact to a former time in one's life, to one's home or homeland, or to one's family and friends; a sentimental yearning for the happiness of a former place or time
A nostalgia for his college days.
 Quintessence - n. The pure and concentrated essence of a substance
He's the quintessence of arrogant ruthlessness, yet he's awkwardly innocent.
 Retrogress - v. To go backward into an earlier and usually worse condition
To retrogress to infantilism.
 Scrutinize - v. To examine in detail with careful or critical attention.
As you point out, it depends on which part of history you choose to scrutinize.
 Tepid - adj. Moderately warm; lukewarm
He grabbed some tepid water.
Accede - v. Assent or agree to a demand, request, or treaty
The authorities did not accede to the striker's demand.
Brandish - v. Wave or flourish (a weapon) as a threat or in anger or excitement
Brandishing his sword, he rode into battle.
Comprise - v. Consist of; be made up of
The country comprises twenty states.
Deft - adj. Neatly skillful and quick in one's movement
A deft piece of footwork.
Destitute - adj. Without the basic necessities of life
The charity care for destitute children.
Explicit - adj. Stated clearly and in detail, leaving no room for confusion or doubt
The speaker's intentions were not made explicit.
Extirpate - v. To remove or destroy totally; do away with; exterminate
To extirpate an unwanted hair.
Inopportune - adj. Not opportune; inappropriate; inconvenient; untimely or unseasonable
For one, this one doesn't run out of bullets at inopportune times.
Ironic - adj. Using or characterized by irony
His mouth curved into an ironic smile.
Musty - adj. Obsolete; outdated; antiquated
Those are some musty laws. They date back to the 18th century and don't apply to modern life.
Officious - adj. objectionably aggressive in offering one's unrequested and unwanted services, help, or advice
These officious, self-important twerps can do whatever they want, alas.
Ominous - adj. portending evil or harm; foreboding; threatening; inauspicious
An ominous bank of dark clouds.
Pinnacle - n. the highest or culminating point, as of success, power, fame, etc.
The pinnacle of one's career.
Premeditated - adj. done deliberately; planned in advance
A premeditated murder.
Rampant - adj. violent in action or spirit; raging; furious
 A rampant leopard.
Solace - n. comfort in sorrow, misfortune, or trouble; alleviation of distress or discomfort
The minister's visit was the dying man's only solace.
Stately - adj. majestic; imposing in magnificence, elegance, etc.
A stately home.
Supple - adj. bending readily without breaking or becoming deformed; pliant; flexible
A supple bough.
Suppress - v. to put an end to the activities of (a person, body of persons, etc.)
To suppress the Communist party.
Venal - adj. willing to sell one's influence, especially in return for a bribe; open to bribery; mercenary
A venal judge.